Four more test positive for Coronavirus - bringing total numner of cases to 40
Four more patients have tested positive for coronavirus in England, it has been confirmed.
This brings the total number of cases in the UK to 40 chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said.
The new cases had all travelled to Italy, which is suffering the biggest outbreak in Europe, and bring the UK’s total number of cases to 40.
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said in a statement: “As of 9am this morning, four further patients in England have tested positive for Covid-19.
“All four patients had recently travelled from Italy. The patients are from Hertfordshire, Devon and Kent. All are being investigated and contact tracing has begun.”
The Prime Minister warned earlier that more cases in the UK are likely as he urged people to wash their hands to the tune of Happy Birthday.
Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting where ministers gathered to discuss a “battle plan” to be published on Tuesday, Boris Johnson said the spread of the coronavirus was “likely” to become “more significant” for the UK in the coming days.